Roof-projection ladder support



Dec. 25 1923. 1,478,823

P. G. GAUSS ROOF PROJECTION LADDER SUPPORT Filed Feb. s, 1925 I@ Fig- Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

UNITED si'ass Leases i `PAUL G'. GAUSS, 0F NDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ROOF-PROJECTION LADDER SUPPORT.

Application filed February 8, 1923. Serial No. 617,787. i

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL G. Gauss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in thecounty of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented new ane useful Improvements yin Roof-Projection Ladder Supports, of `which the following is :i specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a support for ladders usedby tinsniiths and other workmen in the erection, repair, and inspection of metal gutters, cornice work and the like, on the overhanging roofs and projections of houses, which support does not damage the gutters or metal work by Contact therewith but has a bearing on the roof above, and holds and supports the ladders out of contact with said metal `work so that the workmen may stand easily andnaturally beside the metal work instead of under the projection.

A further object is to provide a safe, convenient, and inexpensive attachment for the above accomplishment which is adapted to ladders now in common use.

I accomplish the above, and other objects which will hereinafter appear, by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in wliichj Fig. 1, is a side elevation of my invention in use on a building. Fig. 2, is a top plan view of my invention without showing any of the associated parts in use, and Fig. 3 is an edge view of same.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts iii theseveral views of the drawing.

Generally a pair of ladders are used by a workman on house projections having gutters or other metalwork, to supporta plank-k platform on which the workman stands and along which he can move with more freedom than if standing` on a rung of ladder; and the View in Fig. 1 shows a house with a projecting roof 4, a sheet metal gutter 5, and the far ladder 6 of a pair of ladders. rlhe plank platform 7 is here shown in vertical section and the near ladder of the pair is not included in the view. The plank 7 is supported by a il-shaped iron bar 8 having end-liooks thathook over the rungs of the ladder. This member 8 is well known in both construction and use.

My invention is a device for supporting the ladder from the house-roof, as shown. lt is obvious that if the ladders are leaned directly against the side ofthe house that `or against the edge of the roof where the gutter is above the edge, is likely to injure eitherk the gutter or the roof-edge, and to avoid this I provide la rectangular inetalsleeve 9 through which a ladder is slidingly inserted from the end of the ladder with a loose fit for the sleeve such as will permit of adjustment to an oblique position as shown in Fig. 1 when a clamping on the ladder is obtained.

Riveted or otherwise rigidly fastened to the sleeve 9 are a pair of spacedapart metal straps 10, 10, which have their opposite ends connected by a transverse rigidly attached bar 1'1. The bar 11 in use rests upon the roof of the house. lt has a series of holes 12 through which nails'may be driven to enter the roof andl retainthe bar in position more positively if desired. n

rllhe bearing area upon the roof is preferably increased by strap extensions 13, 13, connected by hinges 14 with the respective straps so the angular positions of the grip of the sleeve straps 13 may be changed to conform with the pitch of the roof, `and the ends remote from the straps 13 are joined by a rigidlyattached transverse bar 15. This har and straps 13 have holes 12 for the passage of nails 16 into the roof to more positivelyy kends against the roof, wherefthey are positioned so that the ladders will be close to but spaced always from the gutter, there tov be held by the gripping action of the sleeve 9 upon the ladder which is increased by the weight of the plank-platform and workman. Whatever nailing is thought to be desirable is then done.

My invention is capable of numerous changes in construction, some oi' Which I have a sleeve With a single opening to slidingly receive both side numbers of 'a ladder, and.-

members extending therefrom to contact a roof and cause the sleeve by Weight on the ladder t0 grip and hold the ladder in a given position.

2. In a device for thevpurposes specified, the combination oi a sleeve with a single opening to slidingly receive both side members of 4a ladder, a pair oi brace bars'rigidly attached to the sleeve to cause the sleeve to clamp and hold the ladder by a load on the ladder, a cross-bar rigidly connecting their ends remote from the sleeve, and an eXten-k sion of said bars hinged to said bars and bearing upon the roof.

3. In a device for the purposes specified, the combination of a sleeve With asingle opening to slidingly receive both side inembers of a ladder, a pair of braceebars integral With the sleeve and bearing Vagainst a roof at their .ends remote from the vsleeve to cause the sleeve to clamp and hold the ladder by a load on the ladder, a cross bar rigidly connecting the ends of the pair of bars remote from the sleeve, and a roof contacting member hinged to said bars comprising side bars and -a cross-bar rigidly connectingtheir ends that are remote from the hinges.

Signed at Indianapolis, Indiana, thisthe 5th day'of February, 1923.

PAUL G. GAUSS. 

